GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A search committee looking for the Downtown Development Authority’s next executive director decided Wednesday to take a risk on youth over experience.

But before the panel formally recommends Kristopher Larson, a Long Beach, Calif. resident in his mid-30s, committee members said they want to get more background on him and their other finalist, Michael Edwards, of Spokane, Wash.

“I’m comfortable with the way I voted, but it was with a lot of tension and reservation,” Harris said.

“I’m leaving the Grand Rapids community in a month, maybe forever,” said committee member Luisa Schumacher. “Without question, he makes me want to come back to Grand Rapids after I’m done with my walkabout.”

Larson surfaced as a consensus choice after a straw poll showed he was the preferred candidate by all but one of the seven committee members.

The lone dissenting vote came from committee member Robert Herr, who said he like the experience of Edwards, who managed Downtown Spokane Partnership from 1998 to 2005 and most recently, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership from 2005 to 2011.

Although City Manager Greg Sundstrom was not a voting member, he told committee members he also preferred Edwards.

“Look at the resumes,” Sundstrom said. “Kris has never been in charge. Mike, in almost every job he’s had, has been in charge.”

Committee members decided they would stick with their recommendation of Larson to the full DDA board unless further background checks created doubts about their choice. The appointment also must be ratified by the City Commission.

The DDA board is seeking a replacement for Jay Fowler, who announced last fall he is retiring after nine years as DDA director and 30 years as a city employee.